Monday, February 17, 2014

With the rest of the world , I have been watching the Olympics.
I am not what anyone would call athletic, but IF I was, I think the sport I would choose to excel in would be ski jumping!
What appeals to me about it ? I think it is the graceful flying through the air and the thrill of how far you can be carried.
I feel the adrenalin expectancy of the athlete as he rises from the starting bench, feels the rush of speed and then experiences that incredible lift as he commits himself to the jump.
His speed propels him upward and he abandons himself to the air, resting in perfect form and position, willing himself to go the distance before he glides down to a perfect telemark landing.
I love to watch the skier's 'holding' position as he flies - not a muscle moving, not a twitch of a limb. Even the slightest movement will break his graceful form, causing the judges to deduct marks. More than a slight movement and he will either crash or drastically shorten the distance of his jump.

Watching the Olympic competitors, I realized what a beautifully apt picture they present of our life in the Spirit.
As believers we are called to a life of faith - trusting - believing that the Spirit of God will lift us up and carry us the distance.
We are quick to mouth an expression of trusting words, but in practice, how often do we flex our fleshly muscles or raise our own arm in self-help? How often do we choose God's way only after our own efforts have failed ? And then blame God because we don't like our 'jump' !
How accomplished are we to simply 'rest' . letting the Spirit carry us where He will?
Have we abandoned ourselves in obedience to the Spirit, quietly submitted to His purpose and desire?
Are we so exercised that, like the Olympiad ski jumper, we have nary a doubt that we will be carried and do not even think to hold back or fear where the jump will take us?
Can we 'go the distance' and win gold ??

"Be still and know that I am God"

Ps. 46:10

The Olympian ski jumper demonstrates this verse. The Hebrew for "be still' means to cease struggling , to be slack, to give up -- in other words, Let God!

Saturday, February 8, 2014

" Imagine if Galileo, Darwin and Isaac Newton had lost all their observations just a few years after recording them. That's happening in science today, a new study says.

A biologist at the University of British Columbia says 80 per cent of data by today's scientists is lost within 20 years, a victim of digital storage.

Sometimes the problem is outdated storage devices, says Tim Vines. Sometimes the problem is as simple as an abandoned email account.

His team went back to look for the data from 516 studies published between 1991 and 2011. They found everything recorded within the past two years, but after that data disappeared fast. After 20 years, 80 per cent was missing.

The papers containing conclusions still survived, but there was no way to go back over the data - either to check the original idea, or to look for new directions."

And we thought we had found a way to preserve information ? At the height of scientific technology we lose information faster than at any time in man's history ?

It just proves once again that the recorded Word of God we call the Bible has had a Divine hand of protection upon it, proving that it is something 'other world'.

Not only has the bible survived whatever the thousands of years washed over it, but it has yet to be proven false in any given truth, be it history, or science or philosophy or a depiction of man's thoughts and ways. It is reliable in its entirety and offers the only answers for life's questions.

I have the following written on the fly-page of one of my bibles.

This is the Word of God

It is supernatural in origin ,

eternal in duration,

inexpressible in value,

infinite in scope,

regenerative in power ,

infallible in authority

universal in interest

personal in application

INSPIRED IN TOTALITY.

I will read it through, write in down, pray it in, work it out, and then pass it on!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The phrase "the word of the Lord came to...." is repeated one hundred and four times in our bible.
And all 104 references are in the Old Testament.

One of these scripture verses leapt off the page one morning as I sat with my open bible.
Sometimes it is the obvious that escapes our attention until that moment when our 'eyes are opened' to suddenly see it !
I never considered how these OT words "and the word of the Lord came" were prophetic flashes hinting of and foretelling the coming of Jesus.

In the Old Testament "the word of the Lord came to..." always preceded some message of God spoken to one of His prophets. It came unexpected and only at certain times and only to chosen individual people. But the day was coming, and has come, where "the Word of God came' in Jesus Christ, to the whole world. (John 3:16)
And it came in a Person. "..which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled!"(I John 1:2) Such was the testimony of the disciples who lived with Jesus. Jesus, God with human skin on , was someone physical like us, someone who came to walk among us and dwell with us. No longer the Word of God that came to one person who became the messenger to deliver the word to others , but God Himself speaking so ALL the world could hear for themselves. "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.... the Word (who) became flesh and dwelt among us! " John 1:14, Heb. 1:1,2

"The word of the Lord came to .. " is first recorded in Gen. 15 where we find "the word of the Lord came to Abram". It is interesting that the first occurrence would involve Abraham, the father of faith. The father of all those who would receive the Word made flesh.

I love a verse that defines God, Is, 52:6, as the "God who speaks!"
Take a few moments today and reflect with joy and gratitude that we do not need to seek for the word of God today, we have the Spirit of God within us, we hear His voice guiding, directing our steps. All because, the Word was made flesh -- in Jesus, our God, our Shepherd, our Friend."Therefore My people shall know My name. (Jesus) Therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks, Behold it is I !"
Are those not thrilling words? That we can KNOW the name of God, and hear His voice?

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Who am I? I am a grandmother. My two granddaughters are the joy of my life. I am in a forced early retirement due to health issues, but life is still good and I enjoy the freedom this new phase in my life has brought. I have always loved books, loved learning and observing and ...Read My Complete Profile